


bitter/sweet

by mulkki



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: M/M, token cafe au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 15:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4710581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulkki/pseuds/mulkki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>piece written for the a/z fanbook: inaho deals with his painfully self-deprecating patissier</p>
            </blockquote>





	bitter/sweet

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for the a/z fanbook at azfanbook.com! thanks to those who put it together and got it running, it was a pleasure to participate in and i loved seeing/reading everyone's entries! it was also fun to do a collab w/ art that went along with the fic (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

“This is a terrible idea, and you’re a terrible person.”

Inaho looked up from his magazine. Slaine was a mess—sleeves rolled up past his elbows, cream smudged on his nose, and hair growing increasingly frazzled as he whisked away at the mixing bowl in his grip. He almost felt bad for the cream—at this rate the texture wouldn’t turn out quite as well, and they’d end up with an inferior batch of meringue cookies. But currently Slaine seemed more intent on turning the batter into a substitute for Inaho, pounding out his frustrations as if it were _Inaho’s_ face under the whisk.

He flipped a page, barely shrugging. “I don’t see the problem here.”

“Don’t—don’t see a problem?!” Slaine brandished the whisk at Inaho’s face, cream landing everywhere (including Inaho’s magazine). “ _Really_ , now?” He slammed the bowl down on the counter— _there goes that batch of ingredients_ , thought Inaho—and faced him. “Of course you don’t have a problem, this doesn’t affect you!”

Inaho looked at the dot of cream on Slaine’s nose, trying not to enjoy the whole view too much. “I’m not entirely unaffected. This is great for business—we’ll get more customers, and you can finally get that new stand mixer you’ve been dreaming about.” Inaho kept his voice even, never betraying how hilarious he found Slaine right now. “And who knows, maybe even a second oven.” _Oh, this was too fun._

“...You’re enjoying this, aren’t you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Slaine stared at him for a while, then sighed and threw up his hands. “Of course you are—you’ve been enjoying this ever since that awful magazine interview. I should’ve known something was up when you asked me about my past work the night before.”

Inaho felt the corner of his mouth twitch, but kept his voice even. “Like I said, it’s great publicity for our cafe. It’ll help our business.”

Slaine slammed a hand down on the magazine—turned to the exact article the very two of them were printed on. “‘Trained under Vers Ristorante chefs’! Inaho, are you _crazy_?” Inaho could practically see the steam pouring out of Slaine’s ears. “For heaven’s sake, I was a _dishwasher_! And maybe occasional vegetable chopper!” Slaine buried his head in one hand, unknowingly smearing the cream on his cheek. “ _‘Trained under Vers Ristorante chefs’_... oh man...” He raised his head, eyes widening as a realization hit him. “Oh my God. Mr. Crutheo is going to _kill_ me.” His shoulders slumped, and Inaho could swear he saw Slaine’s face turn blue.

He grabbed a corner of Slaine’s apron, wiping off the cream that had landed on the pages. “There’s no need to be so worried. You still worked there, and I doubt someone like Mr. Crutheo would read a magazine like _Shinawara Girls’ Monthly_ anyway.”

“I—I! Oh my god, that’s not the _point_!” Slaine was turning red again, and Inaho briefly wondered what color he’d turn next before feeling a splash of cream on his own face. Slaine had taken up the mixing bowl again, whipping with a renewed frenzy. “The point is, why did you exaggerate so much about my experience? I never learned to make pastries from those top-tier chefs, this is just what _I’ve_ come up with! My work is nowhere near that level and now, because of—” He jabbed at the magazine again with his whisk. “—this article, people are going to _expect_ things! High-level things! Things beyond my abilities!” He stopped, staring in horror at the now almost-empty bowl in his hands.

Inaho waited, staying silent.

Slaine’s shoulders slumped. “...I’ve ruined this batch of meringue. Great.”

Inaho swiped a bit of batter, licking at it. “Hmm. Shame these won’t become cookies, the batter’s pretty good.”

“Don’t joke around right now, Inaho. This is serious.”

Inaho stood up, walking over to face Slaine. “Well, I’m serious, too.” He looked him square in the face—laughable amounts of cream and all. “Yes, I may have stretched the truth a little during that interview. But your skill is the real thing, Slaine.” He nodded to the different cakes and pastries on display—ranging from delicate sugar artwork to stacks of fresh scones. “People look at names and brands and think of quality, even though that’s not always the best mark of a good product. But your food? It’s genuinely delicious. And people should know about the things you make.” He let a small smile crack. “Even if I have to do some strategic marketing to get them here.”

Slaine turned away, looking down and making a big show of wiping off the bits of batter everywhere. “You’re exaggerating. I don’t know what you’re tasting, but I know my stuff isn’t that great.”

“I don’t think you realize just how delicious your food is.” Inaho wiped off the clump of cream on Slaine’s nose with a finger, licking it. “Why don’t I show you?”

He pulled Slaine in, pressing their mouths together.

\-----


End file.
